The Meeting, The Rescue, and The Confession
by edwardemmett09
Summary: It's the beginning of summer in Forks, WA and a heatwave has descended on the town. Edward is home trying to create music, but nothing is working. What happens when sees his new next door neighbor for the first time?
1. The Meeting

**A/N: I do not own anything Twilight. It all belongs to Stephanie Meyer.**

**This is the **_**Midnight Sun**_** version of my first fic, **_**Lips, Piano Hands, and Two O'Clock Shadows**_**. I suggest reading that before reading this fic since you'll find out some of the motives behind Edward's actions from the first fic, which is in Bella's POV. I hope you enjoy this! **

**Oh, and a thousand thanks to my beta fish Joy who calms my use of commas down and trendaholic, who helped me make the title of this fic more legitimate and less like the title of a grocery store harlequin novel.**

There are some events in your life that you will most likely never forget, and it varies from person to person. Maybe it was your first bike ride. Your first day of school. Even your first kiss. But for me, it was the first time I saw Bella Swan.

I don't think I will ever forget that day for as long as I live.

I remember I was sitting on my piano bench, completely thoughtless and lacking in any inspiration. I had played the usual piano pieces, but nothing was…_moving_ me. I was in a funk. My composition book hadn't been touched in weeks, maybe longer, and it lay open, waiting for me to snap out of it. As I sat slumped over the keys, my head resting on top of the piano, I closed my eyes and wished for something to wake me up. I wished for something to shake my life up a bit. I should have listened to the old adage of "be careful what you wished for."

The complete and still silence of the house allowed me to hear the purr of Carlisle's car as he pulled into the driveway. I waited for him to come in, but he didn't. He was still outside and was apparently talking to someone.

I rose off of the piano bench and walked to the window, drawing back the curtains to take a peek at whom he was talking to. Carlisle was talking to Chief Swan, our next-door neighbor, and…someone else. It was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She had long, curly, chestnut brown hair that hung just below her shoulders. She wore jeans, a plaid shirt, and converses. From her porcelain skin to her brown hair to her smile and the way it brightened when she talked to Carlisle…I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.

My stomach dropped when I saw her wave goodbye to Carlisle and walk back into her house with Charlie.

"Hey, son," Carlisle said as he shut the front door.

"Hey, Dad," I replied, still leaning against the window.

He dropped his doctor's bag and leaned against the back of the couch, facing me.

"I was just talking to Charlie and his daughter, Bella."

"Yeah, I uh…noticed."

"Well, she just moved here two weeks ago from Phoenix. She decided to live with Charlie for her senior year of high school. You'll be classmates."

I stood there with my back to the window, my hands gripping the windowsill. _Bella_.

"Son, are you okay?" Carlisle had a look of concern on his face. He walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I shot a reassuring smile at him, but I don't think he bought it.

"Well…okay." He paused for a second. "Listen, you should go introduce yourself to Bella, get to know her a little bit. I'm sure she would love to know a friendly face when you both start school." Carlisle patted me on the shoulder and then walked into the kitchen.

I stayed rooted to the spot. I DID have to meet her, but not just because it was the nice, neighborly thing to do. I wanted to know more about the woman who had suddenly lit a fire inside of me. I didn't know what it was, but I felt this unusual feeling of longing…of desire, to not only get to know her but also to understand her and to be with her.

***

It had been two weeks since Carlisle talked to Bella and Charlie, and I still had yet to introduce myself. Call me a coward, but I hadn't been able to summon up the courage to go talk to her. Ever since I saw her for the first time, I hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. She permeated my mind and heart, her vision making a lasting print on my activities throughout the days. I would look out the front windows of the house whenever she left to go somewhere. The loud rumble of her ancient pick-up truck would always alert me when she left or pulled back into her driveway.

I had not seen her for the past day or two, and it was driving me crazy. I missed seeing her, even if it was from a distance. I didn't want to forget her image…like I ever could. She hadn't come out of her house, and I couldn't blame her. A heat wave had rolled into Forks, and it was hot. Too hot. The heat kept me inside and locked me in my own prison of thought and wonder. I kept thinking about Bella.

As I paced the floor of the living room, the images of Bella in my head gave me a sudden surge of inspiration, and I quickly settled myself on the piano bench. Placing my hands on the keys, I began to play, the images and my feelings for Bella as my only guide.

I started playing softly, unsure of the intensity of the notes. I played for a couple of seconds and then increased the tempo of the music, keeping the notes soft and ethereal…just like Bella.

I continued to play, and it was surprising as to how easy the music flowed. Making music wasn't hard when I was thinking of Bella. It came naturally…easy. I reached a crescendo in the piece and abruptly stopped, reaching for my leather composition journal. I began to write out the piece I had created, careful to make sure I remembered all of the notes and changes in tempo. I was going to play this for Bella.

One day.

I sat on the piano bench with the completed score in front of me. I hadn't been sure how much use I was going to get out of this journal, but I am glad I got it. It was a birthday present from my parents, and it was engraved on the front with my initials-"EAMC". I picked the pencil back up and began tapping out the beat of Bella's song…her lullaby…on the pages of the journal.

I got fidgety. I began to bounce in place and my foot began to shake.

I realized I couldn't wait any longer. I had to meet Bella. _But how? Do I just walk over there like the next-door creep and introduce myself?_

I walked into the kitchen for a glass of water, trying to still my sudden nerves. Standing at the sink, I ran through scenarios for how to meet Bella. Possibility after possibility ran through my mind, each one more ridiculous than the next. _Getting her mail for her…No, she'd think I was being nosy. "Hi I'm Edward Cullen. I've been watching you from my window for weeks now and…" Oh yeah, that doesn't scream stalker_… I was wasting time, so I picked the least ridiculous option and opened the cabinet door. Sliding over the brand new bag of sugar my mother Esme had just bought, I reached for a 1-cup measure, closed the cabinet door, and walked out of the kitchen towards the front door.

_This is so stupid. Asking for a cup of sugar? Really, Edward?_

I opened the front door and the heat slapped me in the face, mocking me for my poor choice of icebreaker. I walked down the porch steps, across our driveways, and up Bella's porch steps.

I went to knock on her door but stopped my hand and inch from making contact with the doorbell. _What do I say_? I stood there for a moment, thinking about what I was going to do, when I finally got the courage to ring the doorbell. I nervously stuffed my hands in my pockets, my index finger sticking out and holding onto the measuring cup.

I heard a faint "Coming" from inside and I cleared my throat.

The door opened and there stood Bella. She was absolutely gorgeous with beautiful alabaster skin and chestnut hair. It was pulled up into a bun with little pieces sticking out everywhere. Some were curling at the nape of her neck from the heat, and others framed her eyes. Her deep, chocolate eyes.

_Her eyes_. They were simply mesmerizing. I could have looked into them all day.

Snapping back into reality, I said, ""Hi. I hope I'm not intruding. I'm...Edward Cullen." _I'm a smart man and all I could come up with was "Hi"?_

"Hi," she said, her voice music to my ears. I looked down into her eyes again and I began to stare…again. I couldn't break away from her eyes. They were like my favorite book that I couldn't put down, and I just wanted to read more and more.

Hoping she hadn't noticed I was staring again, I coughed an "Ahem" and smiled.

"S-Sorry. No…not intruding…I'm Bella Swan," she stammered. She seemed nervous, I'm not sure why, but she waved to me. And it was kind of…cute.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," I said, smiling again. I don't know why I was smiling so much. I probably was beginning to look like the creeper next door. "I really hope I'm not intruding, but could I borrow, um, a cup of sugar?" _Hopefully she won't think of me as an idiot_…

"Sugar? Uh, yeah, sure, sure…um, come on in." She opened the door wide and…blushed. Her cheeks filled with a beautiful rosy color that lit her whole face up. She was gorgeous when she blushed.

I walked into the hallway and she closed the door behind me. When the door closed I stood there staring at her. But even if I didn't want to look at her, I don't think I could have helped it. Her eyes drew me in. And held me there.

That was, until she spoke again.

"Yeah, just give me a sec." She took the cup from my hand, turned around, and walked down a hallway. I was left standing there, watching her walk away. I was sad that she left, even to get my stupid cup of sugar, but I was glad that she was gone. I was able to have a brief reprieve from the trance she unwillingly had on me; my thoughts returned, and I mentally chastised myself for the lame excuse to meet her.

I kept my hands buried deep in my pockets, bouncing back and forth from one foot to another, waiting for her to come back. She surprised me when she suddenly appeared, my cup of sugar in her hands. She had a small smile on her face and she said, "Here you go. Is that enough?"

I locked on to her eyes again and stuttered out a half intelligent phrase. "Thanks. No…I mean, yeah, yeah it is…um…thanks…Bella." I flashed her another smile, hoping to hide my embarrassment. Carlisle and Esme had raised my siblings and me to be respectful, and I know ogling wasn't in that category. But I couldn't help but to stare into her deep brown eyes. _Her eyes_.

When I felt my embarrassment peak, I said "Thanks" and backed towards the door. We stood there for a minute longer when I opened the door. "See you soon…Bella," I said and walked back out into the heat.

I didn't turn to look at her again because I knew I would be stopped dead in my tracks. Instead, I swiftly walked back to my house. When I was back inside, I practically ran to the kitchen, one hand over the sugar to keep from spilling it. I threw the cabinet open, dumped the sugar from my cup into a container, and quickly walked to the piano. Sitting on the bench, I grabbed my composition journal and began to finish the piece I had composed for Bella, letting the powerful memory of her serve as my inspiration and my drive.

Meeting her today was going to be something I would never forget. As I placed the notes on the page, humming her song, I suddenly realized that I _couldn't_ forget today…or her. There was something about her. I felt something every time I looked into her eyes and heard her speak. I could feel a change coming, although I was pretty sure I had been changed already.

I had to see her again.

**A/N: Thanks again for all of your patience and chapter two will be up soon!**


	2. The Rescue

**A/N: I do not own anything Twilight. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Although, I wish all of the Cullen men belonged to me…**

**Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me and left reviews! Thank you!**

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Last night, I couldn't sleep. At all. I kept tossing and turning, unable to clear my head for just a few minutes in order to fall asleep. All I could think of was Bella. I couldn't get her chocolate brown eyes, or her sweet voice, or the way her cheeks blushed in an instant, out of my mind. When I opened my eyes she was there, and when I closed my eyes she was there.

_She would always be there._

I lay there in my bed this morning, staring up at my ceiling. I could tell today was going to be hot again. Our air conditioning was doing its best to keep the house cool, but it just wasn't cool enough. My t-shirt was slightly sticking to my skin and there was the faint trace of sweat on my forehead and back of my neck.

I got up off of my bed to take a shower but was stopped when my cell phone rang, blaring Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumble Bee." I reserved that annoying piece of music for only one person…my lovable-yet-annoying older brother, Emmett.

"Hey Emmett," I said.

"What's up, Edward?"

"Nothing, um, just about to get in the shower. How's Seattle?" Emmett and my mother, Esme, were out of town for a couple of days getting Emmett ready for his freshman year at the University of Washington.

"Dude, it's awesome! My classes are all set up, I'm getting the finishing touches on my pimped-out bachelor pad, and there is a crap ton of sports." I would never understand why Carlisle and Esme let Emmett have his own apartment his freshman year, especially with his girlfriend, Rosalie, going to the same school.

"Wow, Emmett. Sounds…great." I really was happy for him; it's just that my lack of sleep was starting to show through my voice.

"Dude, what gives. You sound like spider monkey crawled up your butt. Carlisle said Forks is going through some epic heat wave and that you've been stuck inside. Get out and do something. 'Wardo, 'You need to find yourself a girl, mate.'"

"Thank you, Captain Sparrow, but I'm fine." _Emmett could be such a loser sometimes._ "We have been in this massive heat wave. It's just too miserable to go outside." Little did Emmett know, but it was too miserable inside, too. Wherever I was, I was trapped and held prisoner in my own thoughts by Bella's unwavering grasp. Also, Emmett didn't know that I had already found a girl…_Bella_.

"Crack open a window or something before you go insane." I let out a fake laugh before Emmett said, "Well, we'll be home in a few days so don't go all psycho on me. Maybe we could hang out or something, go camping with Jazz and Alice?"

"Yeah man, sounds good. Alright, I'll see you in a couple of days."

"Hey, Edward," Emmett asked with concern in his voice. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'll, um, talk to you soon."

"Ok, bro. Later." And with that I clicked my phone off.

Emmett wasn't the smartest kid in the family, but he could tell when something was up. Thank goodness it wasn't my sister, Alice, on the phone. She would have known exactly what was going on, what was coming next, and which shirt to wear tomorrow. Her intuition was truly uncanny at times.

I sat down on the edge of my bed with a huff. Today really wasn't going to be easy. Not only was Forks frying under the heat, but I also knew there was no way that I was going to be able to stop thinking about Bella. In fact, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to stop thinking about Bella at all, ever.

I took a cold shower to clear my head, not that it did any good; as the water washed over me, Bella continued her assault on my mind and emotions. I jerked the shower knobs off, grabbed a towel, and dried off. I pulled on a freshly-ironed shirt and jeans and walked downstairs to make breakfast. Besides piano playing, cooking relaxed me, and it was something I really enjoyed doing. Walking into the kitchen, I was met with Carlisle. He was sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.

"Hey, Dad."

"Good morning, Edward. How did you sleep?" he asked as he folded the newspaper and set it on the table.

"Ok. It's just so hot. I woke up in a sweat." I didn't want to dance around the conversation, but I also didn't want to reveal the real reason as to why sleep eluded me last night

"The weatherman said that it's going to get even hotter today," Carlisle sighed. "I hope people are taking the proper precautions and staying inside. I hate having my ER filled with heat related cases, especially when they can be avoided. If I were you, Edward, I would try to stay as cool as I could, but if you do go outside, drink plenty of water." Carlisle was always a great father, and he had definitely always been a great doctor.

"Yeah, I'm probably going to stay inside, maybe watch a movie," I said as I walked over to the refrigerator, grabbing the ingredients to make omelets. I asked Carlisle if he wanted one, and he did, so I chopped up some vegetables, cracked some eggs, and made us breakfast. When I was done, I brought our eggs over to the table and sat down to eat.

After a few bites, Carlisle got up to make another cup of coffee. He grabbed the pot, poured his coffee, and then opened a kitchen cabinet.

"Edward?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, Carlisle?" I asked before taking a sip of my orange juice.

"Why is there sugar in a random Tupperware container?"

I grabbed my napkin in a hurry to prevent spewing orange juice all over the table.

"I uh…um…well…" I stuttered, looking at Carlisle. He cocked an eyebrow and held up the lone plastic container with the small amount of sugar inside. "Carlisle, do you remember when you said I should introduce myself to Bella and get to know her?"

"Yeah, but what does this have to do with the sugar?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Well…" I sighed heavily. "I used the sugar to introduce myself to Bella." There was a silent pause and then Carlisle let out a loud guffaw. "What's so funny?" I asked him, my tone slightly raised, although I couldn't keep a smile off of my face. I hadn't heard Carlisle laugh that hard in a long time.

"Well, it's not funny it's just…was this one of Jasper's ideas? You didn't ask Alice for advice, did you?"

"No, none of them even know what I did. Alice would insist taking me over here to meet Bella herself, planning out the future as she always does, and Jasper would just go along with her. And you _definitely_ know I didn't tell Emmett. He wouldn't let me forget it, insisting that I should have used one of his cheesy pick up lines. Not to mention he would go and spill the beans to Rosalie." I was so glad that I hadn't mentioned it to my best friend Jasper or to Alice. Alice would have decided on the spot that we were meant to be, planning out our futures, deciding what we would wear to our wedding…And Jasper would have just smiled and thrown his arm around her. _But to me, I felt…I __knew__ Bella and I were meant to be…_

Carlisle crossed the kitchen with his cup of coffee and sat back down at the table. "So tell me," he said, "what happened?" I proceeded to tell him about how I used the sugar as an icebreaker, how I mumbled and made a fool of myself, and how I couldn't take my eyes off of her. "…and I want to see her again, but I don't know how."

"What do you mean, you don't know how?" Carlisle exclaimed, leaning closer to me. "Edward, your mother and I raised you to be respectful, kind, generous, and above all, to be yourself. Those are all the tools you need. Just walk back over there, and--I don't know--ask her if she would like to go for a walk." He sat back in his chair and sipped his coffee.

"If you haven't noticed, Carlisle, it's one degree above stifling outside," I said sarcastically, surprised that he mentioned a walk after how hot it had been lately.

"Edward, you're smart. You'll think of something." He flashed me a smile and looked at his watch. "Oh, I've got to go to work." He got up from the table, grabbed his doctor's bag and walked to the front door. I followed him, and before he walked out, he turned and said, "Just be yourself. You'll be fine."

"Thanks, Carlisle," I said, and with that, he walked out the door, got in his car and drove away, but not before honking the horn and waving to Charlie, who was walking to his police cruiser. I looked out the window towards the Swan house. There was no sign of Bella.

Carlisle had only been gone for about five minutes, and the house was too quiet. It left me alone with my thoughts, and my thoughts were only about Bella. _The way her cheeks blushed, the way her chocolate eyes sparkled, her hair, and her voice. I was hopeless. Gone._

I decided it was time for a distraction, so I popped _Casablanca_ into the DVD player and flopped on the couch. I hoped that Humphrey Bogart and his classic delivery of "Play it, Sam," could take me to another place and time. I was wrong. Whenever I heard the piano music played or Ingrid Bergman and her classic beauty appear on the screen, I was instantly reminded of Bella…

_You must remember this / A kiss is still a kiss / A sigh is just a sigh / The fundamental things apply / As time goes by. / And when two lovers woo, / They still say, "I love you" / On that you can rely / No matter what the future brings-…_

I turned off the movie and sat up, running my fingers through my hair. Catching my piano in the corner of my eye, I decided to play for a while. I ambled over to the piano, sat down, and placing my fingers on the keys I played the only song I felt like performing, and the only song I knew I would want to for a long time. Bella's lullaby.

It shocked me at how easily the notes flowed through my fingertips. I didn't need my composition book; it lay to the side. As I played, it felt as though I was completely calm and at peace, because I was playing something that was Bella's. As far as I was concerned, if Bella asked me to play for her forever, I would and then some.

I glanced out the window towards Bella's backyard and couldn't believe what I saw. Bella was leaning over the picket fence. She was on her toes, leaning so far over that she looked as if she was going to fall into my yard. I stopped playing, and as soon as I did, she sank back on her feet and a frown crept on her face. She looked so upset that I wanted to go see what was wrong. I stood up from the piano bench and walked to the window, watching her turn around on the spot and march back over to a large tree, sitting down with deliberation.

_What caused her to become angry to suddenly? Had she heard me play? Was I playing too loud?_

I decided that it was now or never. I had to talk to her, not only because I wanted to--no, needed to--but also because I had to see if she was okay. I wanted to cheer her up and let her know it was not worth being angry. Plus, being angry made her face scrunch up, although it was kind of cute.

I grabbed my sunglasses and headed out the back door. The heat slapped my face and my glasses fogged up. The sun was approaching the middle of the sky, and it certainly was hot, but there was a slight breeze to ease the sting of the heat. Walking across the yard, I saw her, still sitting under the tree with a glass of water by her leg, reading a book. I paused for a second, stunned by how relaxed and…_beautiful_ she was. I stood there for several more seconds before I took a deep breath and stepped up to the fence.

"Hello, Bella," I said, but I scared her. She simultaneously screamed and threw her book in the air, knocking her drink over on her leg. _Those jean shorts really showed off her legs…_Even though I was slightly distracted, I hadn't forgotten what happened, so I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." It took all of my power to even try to hide my laughter. I hated that I'd scared her and made her spill her drink, but it was funny.

"No, it's…it's totally fine. I was just reading," she said as she brushed the water off of her leg. My eyes diverted to her legs again, and I knew that if I didn't do something to distract me I would end up looking like the creeper from next door. I looked at her face and flashed her a small smile. I didn't know what it was, but everything about her just…turned me into jell-o. I grabbed the posts of the picket fence to help me get a tangible grip on reality.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

"_Pride and Pre-"_ She paused for a second and it looked like she was blushing. "_Pride and Prejudice_." She lifted the book to show me the front cover, which was well worn. I could tell it was one of her favorite books. The spine was broken in several places and the edges of the cover had started to fray.

"Ah, Jane Austen. _Pride and Prejudice _is the only one of hers I've read. I liked it, but I got so frustrated at Darcy's feelings toward Bingley and Elizabeth's family." I couldn't believe that I said that. I sounded like the know-it-all in class who raised his hand at any available opportunity. The worst part about it was that she just sat there and looked at me. If she hadn't realized I was a loser by now, I am sure that she thought I was after that statement. I had to break the awkward silence.

"Anyway, I was just walking outside and noticed you….um….by the tree, and I thought I would say hey." I was mentally kicking myself for the awful word-vomit that I couldn't stop.

"No, I, um…I'm glad you did," she said with a smile, and I couldn't help but grin in return. Maybe she didn't think I was the creepy loser next door after all. As soon as I had smiled, she blurted out, "Have you had lunch? I have some ingredients to make sandwiches if you're hungry." She seemed a little embarrassed by how she asked, but I couldn't have been happier. Maybe this was my chance to really get to know Bella. Although, anytime spent with her was worth it, even if it was overshadowed by awkward silences. I really wanted those silences to not be so awkward anymore…

"Sure…I'd um…love to. Give me just a sec; I'll come through the gate." I smiled again and walked away down the picket fence towards the gate that opened into her yard. I had my hands deeply buried in my pockets, trying to keep my composure. I was just about to spend lunch with Bella, the girl I was becoming more and more attracted to with each and every second.

I opened the gate, walked through, and picked up the pace to reach Bella. She was collecting her things, so I reached out a hand to help.

"Here, let me take those for you." I extended my right hand; she grabbed it and shocked me. Not the kind where you rub your feet on the carpet and then touch a doorknob or someone, like Emmett used to do to me when we were little, but the kind that comes when a connection is made. It felt…amazing, like I was staring into her eyes again, hearing her speak, or playing her lullaby. I could breathe. I could relax. I could…be.

I took her book from her hand and helped her up. We walked towards her house, and she thanked me for helping her up. I couldn't help but smile. I walked a little faster when we got closer to the door so I could hold it open for her. She smiled back at me and continued walking. Before I could warn her, she turned her head around and walked right into the doorframe, hitting her head.

"Ow," she moaned, one hand rubbing a spot on her head. I placed one hand on her back and another hand on her arm to keep her from wobbling. The electricity I felt from touching her was even more powerful than before.

I led her into the house, asking if she was okay along the way. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just…um…I'm not the most coordinated person on the planet," she replied, her face scrunched up from the pain, but I still noticed her cheeks blushing. _The more I noticed her cheeks, the more I wanted to kiss them..._

I found the kitchen at the end of the hallway and gently sat her in the chair. "Hold on," I said motioning her to stay in her seat. Remembering the first-aid knowledge that Carlisle taught my siblings and I, I opened the freezer, searching for a bag of frozen vegetables. "Here, put this on your head," I whispered, grabbing a bag of peas and helping her place it on her head. I wanted to touch her again, even for a second, just to feel the electricity.

The color was draining from her face, so I walked to the sink and opened a random cabinet, hoping to find a glass. I found one and placed the cold glass of water in front of her. She pulled the glass closer to her and said, "Just give me five minutes, and I'll get all of the stuff out for sandwiches." I couldn't believe she was sitting with an ever-growing goose egg and she was worried about fixing sandwiches. I told her not to worry, that I had everything under control.

I made my way around her kitchen with ease. I found everything I needed in the refrigerator--ham, lettuce, and tomatoes. There was a breadbox on the counter, and the knives were in a knife block against the back wall. I searched a couple of cabinets and drawers and found a cutting board and plates and went to work. It felt good to take care of somebody, to take care of Bella. It put an ear-to-ear grin on my face.

She didn't say anything while I was making lunch; she just sat there holding the bag of frozen peas to her forehead and taking gentle sips of water. After making sure her sandwich was perfect, I walked to the table and placed the sandwich in front of her with a "Here you go." I sat down across from her, urging her to eat.

After a couple of bites she said, "This was the best sandwich I've ever had." I was too happy to be sitting across from her, watching her eat the sandwich I made.

"I'm glad you like it." We continued eating, and even though we may have had a couple of awkward silences in the past, this one felt right. Like we could continue sitting there for however long, and nothing had to be said. It was a comfortable silence.

When we finished, I washed and dried the dishes. Turning back to her I asked, "How does your head feel?"

"It feels better, but it still smarts a little bit." She removed the bag of peas from her head, revealing a large purple goose egg on the left side of her forehead. I winced. It looked like it really hurt. She had noticed my expression and asked, "Is it that bad?"

"Well, you have a goose egg and a little cut…" My words trailed off as I tried to stifle back a laugh. I hated that I was laughing, but she just looked so cute and innocent, and her clumsiness was endearing.

She retorted with a "Hey…not funny," and she tried not to laugh herself. The goose egg made her attempt at defensiveness a sorry one. We both started to laugh for the longest time, neither of us stopping to catch a breath. Tears started to roll down my cheeks.

Wiping away the tears, I said, "Here, let's get you to the couch." I helped her out of her chair and, placing my hand on the small of her back, I led her over to the couch. I fluffed up the pillows and got her to lie down. I rearranged the peas so they covered the bump on her head better and then went back into the kitchen, where I found her well-worn copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ sitting on the table.

"You can turn on the TV if you like." She was lying there with a giant goose egg, and she was trying to take care of me.

"No, I'm fine," I said from my comfortable position in Charlie's recliner. Bella rolled over and gave me a smile as I opened the book to the most-read passage. It had been read so many times that the spine was broken and the pages fell open with ease. The final proposal scene was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Bella was still smiling at me, but shortly her eyes began to droop and she was soon asleep. I suddenly found myself humming her lullaby as I read. I don't think I had ever felt happier than I did at that moment. I had taken care of Bella, and she was safe. There wasn't anywhere else I could imagine being. She made me happy. She made me feel like I had a place. If only she knew she had a place…_my heart_.

***

I must have fallen asleep as well because when I woke up the sun was on the opposite side of the house. I stretched and yawned and went to check on Bella. She hadn't moved an inch since I got her to lie down. Using my index finger, I gently checked the bag of peas. They had really started to cool down, so I gently moved Bella's hand and removed the semi-thawed bag of peas. I looked in the freezer for something else to use and found a bag of frozen corn.

I put the bag of corn over her bruised head and replaced her hand. The swelling had gone down, but some bruising and a small cut were still visible. I thought about her hitting the door again, and I quietly laughed.

Flopping back in Charlie's recliner, I went to grab the book again, but was stopped.

"Edward…" Bella mumbled. She was still sleeping.

"Edward…" she said again. I had no idea what to do. _Was she calling for me? Do I wake her up? Does she need Advil?_

"Lips…Piano hands…" I really had no idea what to do. Thank God I didn't have to come up with anything because the front door opened up and Charlie walked in from work.

"Bella, I'm home," he called as he put his gun belt on the coat rack. I got to Charlie as quickly and as quietly as I could.

"Hey, Charlie."

"Oh, hello Edward," Charlie said, shaking my hand. "I didn't know you were going to be here. Where's Bella?"

"Bella is asleep on the couch. She hit her head today on the door."

"That doesn't surprise me," he said with a chuckle. "How did she do that?"

"Well, we started talking in the back yard and she invited me in for lunch. On the way inside she turned, and well, hit her head on the door. She has a goose egg and a small little cut on her head, but she's fine. She's just sleeping."

"How long has she been asleep?"

"Since lunchtime."

"You mean…you've been here that long?" Charlie cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Yes sir. I didn't want to leave her here by herself, so…I, um, just picked up a book and read. I hope that was ok…" I couldn't tell by Charlie's expression whether or not he liked that I was here for so long.

"Okay? Edward, I really appreciate what you did. I know, with what your dad must have taught you, that she was in good hands." Charlie gave me a pat on the back. "Well, let me relieve you, and I'll go check on her. I really appreciate what you did Edward."

"No problem, Sir." Charlie led me to the door and held it open for me.

"Feel free to come back anytime, Edward." Charlie extended his hand.

"Thank you Sir. I probably will." With that, I began the saddest part of my day. Walking down Bella's front steps, I had never felt lonelier. Of course I had always seen my parents, and Emmet and Rosalie and Alice and Jasper had been dating for a while, but I really didn't feel any lonelier than I did then. I had already started to miss Bella before I had even left.

To feel better, I went straight to my piano when I was back in the house. I played her lullaby over and over again, never tiring. The lullaby was the band-aid to the wound on my heart left open by her absence.

I couldn't wait to see her again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**A/N: Thank you for reading! If you love it or hate it, leave a review! I would love to hear what you think! Also, if you would like to know what song I chose to be Bella's Lullaby, visit my profile. I have a download link!**

**Only one more chapter is left but I have another idea for a very funny fanfic in the works. Keep me on author alert! Thanks again!**


	3. The Confession

**A/N: I would like to apologize for taking FOR-EV-ER. Life got in the way again. I started a new job and I'm applying to grad school. I got a liiittle busy! And this is un-beta'd so please forgive me. I tried to catch all of my mistakes the best that I could. Anyway, here is Chapter 3…**

I could have gotten sleep last night. I could have gotten a decent night's sleep last night. The temperature had lowered due to the front expected this afternoon. The decreasing temperature, albeit the _slowly_ decreasing temperature, allowed for the air conditioner to finally catch a breath and cool the house. The air wasn't quite so stagnant anymore.

I could have gotten a decent night's sleep last night. _Could have_.

But my mind didn't want any. And neither did my heart.

All they wanted were Bella. And the way she blushed in an instant. And the way the light and dark browns and subtle hints of red in her hair caught the sunlight. And the way she was so clumsy that it was endearing. And the way her eyes shone when she smiled.

But exhaustion did win over and when I woke up from the little sleep I had, I immediately made plans to go visit Bella. I dressed in jeans and a white button up with the sleeves rolled up and took the steps by two as I went down to breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and met Carlisle. He was at his usual spot at the table, sipping coffee.

"Good morning, Edward."

"Morning, Dad." I looked at Carlisle and noticed he wasn't in his usual work clothes. "How come you aren't in your scrubs? Do you have the day off?"

"Yeah, I took the day off but I guess I chose the wrong day. I had planned on going hiking but with this storm coming in it's going to be too dangerous."

Looking out the kitchen window, I saw just how bad the weather had turned. The sky was a dark gray and the wind was blowing so fiercely through the trees that it was making the trees sway back and forth, certainly pushing their breaking point. I couldn't…yet I could believe why I hadn't noticed the bad weather when I woke up. I stood at the kitchen window, looking out toward Bella's back yard when Carlisle spoke.

"You're very quiet Edward. What's on your mind?" He was looking up at me as he sipped his coffee, his eyebrow raised.

"Nothing," I said nonchalantly. I breathed a heavy sigh.

"Bella doesn't seem like nothing." My shoulders tensed up and I turned to Carlisle. "Don't look so shocked, Edward. You've been staring at her house with that contemplative look on your face since she stepped across Charlie's doorstep. And when you have seen her outside, well, I think it would have taken something stronger than that wind outside to pry you away from the window."

I sighed again and sat down at the table, my chin resting in my hand. "You're right. Bella is something. She's everything."

"Have you told her?" Carlisle asked matter-of-factly.

"What? No, of course not. That would be…" I said as I raked my hands through my hair, trying to get the thought out of my head.

"That would be what?"

"Too forward! I've known her for what…two days? I need more than just a cup of sugar and two ham sandwiches to get to know her and tell her…" I paused, "…and tell her I love her."

Holding up a finger to keep me quiet, Carlsle asked, "Wait. What about ham sandwiches?"

"I just told you I'm in love with the girl next door and you want to know about the ham sandwiches?" I chuckled and then told him all about yesterday.

"See," he said as he slapped a hand on his knee, "I told you when you took those first aid classes at the hospital that they would come in handy one day!"

"Yeah, Dad, but I was stuck in a room with Emmett trying to keep him from playing with the CPR dummy." I laughed at the memory and how Emmett tried to keep a smile on my and Alice's faces as we sat through the first aid course. "It was hard to concentrate when Emmett was making the dummy move. It's a miracle Alice and I ever learned anything!"

"But back…" Carlisle was interrupted mid sentence by his cell phone. He picked it up and made a face at the caller ID. After a few "uh hunhs" and a "I'm on my way," Carlisle said, "I have to go in. The wind knocked a few trees down on the roads and caused a couple of car wrecks. The hospital said they need all hands on deck, especially with the way this storm is supposed to get worse. I'm sorry Edward."

I told him it was ok and as he was getting his things together, he asked me to make a quick run to the grocery store. "Just in case we'll at least need a loaf of fresh bread and some milk. I'll call you when I know I'll get off work."

Carlisle waved bye to me and made his way out into the ever-increasing storm. I watched him as he drove off as the rain slowly began to fall. Before long, the rain was coming down in sheets and it was almost impossible to see through the glass. I grabbed my rain jacket, phone, and keys, and drove to the grocery store before the storm got worse than it already had.

Pulling into the parking lot, I got the closet spot to the door and made a mad dash inside. I grabbed a cart and pushed my way into the store. I picked up ingredients for dinner-lettuce and vegetables for salad, chicken, and pasta. I pushed the cart to the back of the store toward sandwich meats. I thought I would make sandwiches for Bella again for lunch, maybe even invite her for a picnic or something. There is a meadow I came across while hiking with my family one weekend and I thought of taking Bella there one afternoon.

With a sigh, I continued down my list, grabbing things we would need for the next couple of days, finishing by stopping in the bread aisle. I looked for the kind we liked and found it. As I reached for the loaf, there was a loud crash. A shopping cart had rammed into mine.

And that cart belonged to Bella Swan.

"Edward! I am so sorry! I uh…wasn't looking…I didn't mean…," she stammered as she tried to untangle her cart from mine. He cheeks had flamed to a bright red, showing her embarrassment that she was trying so hard to hide. _She looked so beautiful when she blushed_…

I didn't know what to say. She unhinged me whenever I was in her presence. I couldn't help it.

"It's ok, Bella," I said, not helping but to smile.

We stood there, silently, stealing glances, as both of us thought of what to say next. To break the silence, I pulled our carts apart and said, "I was just grabbing some bread before I checked out. I um…didn't know how bad the storm was going to get so I thought I would get a couple of things…um…" _I need to work on my small talk_.

"Yeah, me too. I'm about to go check out myself."

We both then reached forward to get a loaf of bread, grabbing the same one accidentally. As our hands touched, I felt the same jolt of electricity as I did the day I helped her off of the ground in her back yard and supported her as she wobbled into her house after hitting her head. I reveled in the feeling that jolt of electricity gave me.

I grabbed my loaf and placed it in my cart saying, "Ready to check out?" She said yes and followed me to the checkout.

I should have let her go first but I wanted to wait for her and help her take her groceries to her car; the rain was still coming down hard.

"Let me take those," I offered and took her groceries in my free hand as we ran out of the store and to her truck, which coincidentally was parked beside mine. She unlocked the doors and I put her groceries in the passenger seat. She jumped in her truck and I slid in my Volvo, letting her pull out first.

I followed her home, making sure she was ok. As slow as he truck was moving along, the large puddles of standing water on the road were enough to make me nervous. I kept my hands at 10 and 2 and my eye on the truck. Every now and then, I could have thought that she was glancing in her rearview mirror back at me.

We got home and she pulled into her driveway. When I pulled in mine, I stopped right before my garage and rolled the window down slightly and waved. I drove into the garage and closed the door, sitting in the ever-increasing darkness with my head in the steering wheel.

Bella had me…and she didn't even know. I thought about her constantly; not just about her chestnut curls and beautiful eyes and the way she blushed. I thought about how happy I was when we talked. The day we spent over ham sandwiches and bags of frozen vegetables was one of the best days I had had in a long time. Talking to her was easy and comfortable.

I grabbed the groceries out of my trunk and set them down on the counter just as my cell phone began to ring. The caller id said Carlisle.

"Hey, Carlisle."

"Hey, Edward," Carlisle said sounding a little stressed and tired. "Listen, they still need me at the hospital so I'll be here for a while. I won't be home until much later than I thought."

"It's ok," I said. "I just went to the grocery store so I have everything we need. Don't worry about anything."

"Thanks, son. Be careful and I'll hopefully see you later tonight."

"I will." And with that, Carlisle hung up.

I unpacked the groceries and listened to the wind increase and push against the house. To try and drown out the noise, I sat down at my piano and began to play Debussy's Clair de Lune. I don't know how long I played before it evolved into Bella's lullaby, but before I could finish the piece, a bolt of lightening flashed and a clap of thunder loud enough to shake the house sounded. I was left in total darkness. Even though the power was out, I could still slightly see my way to the kitchen thanks to the flashes of lightning coming through the windows. I groped under the kitchen sink and found a flashlight.

The flashlight still didn't provide enough light for me to play by so I went out to the garage to grab a couple of camping lanterns. I flicked their switches on but there wasn't any light. The batteries were dead.

The only source of light I knew he had left were Esme's plethora of candles. I walked back in the house and grabbed a book of matches then walked around the living room lighting the candles, finishing with the candelabra on the piano. As I blew the match out, there was a loud banging at the door.

"Edward! It's Bella!" I heard. Bella sounded scared to death. _Is she ok?_ I set the book of matched down and nearly ran to the door, flinging it open.

"Bella! What's wrong? Are you ok?" I said frantically, scanning my eyes over her body, looking for any sign of injury. My hands were outstretched, almost as if to be ready to catch her. I didn't see that she was hurt but she was definitely soaking wet.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine…I just…just…the power went out and I couldn't find any flashlights or candles…and the thunder…" She spat the words out in hurry. She looked scared and worried, and I thought,_ hopefully_, relieved.

"Come in, you must be soaking wet," I said and I quickly moved aside. But before I could think about the really obvious statement I just made, Bella caught her boot on the threshold and stumbled forward. I had no idea how I reacted so quickly, but I caught Bella before she fell in the floor. I looked at her in my arms and smiled for the longest time before she stared down at her boots and blushed. I gently set her down on her feet.

"I am so sorry for coming over like this, Edward, but you were the only person I knew who could help!"

"No! Don't be sorry," I blurted out. "I'm glad you came…" I trailed off.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about your shirt!" I looked at her and then did a double take down at my white shirt. There was mud all over it and it was soaked through. But I could have cared less; I hardly even noticed.

"It's ok! Don't worry about it! I can just go throw on a t-shirt. Actually, I can grab you a t-shirt and some sweatpants, too. You could catch a cold if you stay in your wet clothes…" I trailed off again hoping I wasn't venturing into awkward territory. I didn't know how she would feel about borrowing my clothes.

"Yeah, that's really…sweet, Edward. Thanks." She smiled at me and my insides suddenly felt like they were on fire. _She called me sweet…_

"Just give me a minute. I'll be right back down," I said, turning to run up the stairs before I could say anything stupid or cheer or something. I walked into my room and cracked the door. Grabbing a navy t-shirt, I pulled it on quickly, beginning my search for some clothes for Bella. I found a pair of clean sweatpants and a Forks High t-shirt.

I quickly went down the stairs where I found Bella standing in front of my piano, running her hands along the keys. I stood there for a second before I said anything. She looked gorgeous in the candlelight. "Here you go, Bella," I said handing her the clothes. "There's a bathroom off the hallway you can change in." She thanked me and walked to the bathroom disappearing behind the door.

I heaved a big sigh and walked over to the paintings hanging across from the bathroom. I loved these paintings. The scenes depicted different areas of the Olympic Peninsula that my family and I had come across during camping trips. I walked down the hallway stopping for a few seconds at each one, finally stopping at the last painting, my favorite. It is of a large meadow filled with wildflowers and ringed with tall trees.

Bella came out of the bathroom and stood beside me. "Thanks again for the clothes," she said. I turned and looked at her. She couldn't have looked any cuter. My sweatpants were dragging the ground and it looked like she had pulled the drawstring in a far as it could go. She had tied her wet hair in a bun at the nape of her neck.

I smiled and said, "Your welcome." I paused trying to get up the courage to say what I wanted to say…and I did. "You…you look…cute." I laughed nervously and began running my fingers through my hair, not knowing what to do next. All of a sudden a loud thunderclap rattled the house scarring both Bella and I. We both jumped except I accidentally knocked her into the wall. Our bodies were pressed up against each other and our faces were so close to touching. I could literally feel the electricity exchange between us, almost as powerful as the lightning outside. I wanted so badly to lean forward and kiss her…

"You have a beautiful house," she said, breaking the tension.

I told her about how my mother, Esme, decorated the house with the help of the souvenirs Carlisle brought back from his work overseas. I led Bella into the limning room as I talked, stopping in front of my piano. I looked around the room wondering what I could say or show next.

"You have a beautiful piano, Edward," Bella said as she walked over to it, placing her fingers on the keys."

"Thanks," I said and before I knew it, my heart was carrying me over to the piano, where I sat down and began to play her lullaby. Maybe it wasn't exactly the time or the way I wanted to play Bella the lullaby I wrote for her, but I couldn't deny what I had been feeling since I met Bella and how that had all built up in my chest to where I thought I would explode.

I played her lullaby for her, each note reminding me of something I loved about her or how she had turned my world right side up in the past three days, just with her smile. It was in that moment that I knew she was it. Bell was meant for me and I hoped and prayed she felt the same way.

When I finished playing, I turned my head to look at her and said, "I wrote it for you."

Silent tears began to fall down Bella's cheeks. I cupped her cheek with my right hand, wiping the tears away with my thumb. She closed her eyes and smiled at my touch. After a moment she opened her eyes and said, "Thank you."

I turned my body towards hers. Placing my left hand on her other cheek, I leaned in, our lips inches apart.

""I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the first day I laid eyes on you," I said. _I actually said it._ I couldn't hold it in much longer. I just had to have let Bella know what I was feeling. I also had to show her. I closed the miniscule gap between us and kissed her.

She brought her hands up and cupped my face and kissed me back.

She kissed me back.

It was hot, and this time, I don't think it was the weather.

**A/N: Again, I would like to apologize for taking forever to complete this. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed and told me whether I'm a crappy writer or not. And if you haven't reviewed, please do so and let me know if I'm a crappy writer or not!**

**This is the end of this story but it probably isn't the last of my writing. I have more ideas floating around in my head and they'll be posted sometime in the future. I have a really funny one shot involving Bella and all of the Cullens. Keep me on Author Alert!**

**Thanks again to my bbs trendaholic and Joy!**


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